Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Friday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Hazy, some fog banks
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Distant views reduced by haze, locally foggy for a time in valleys and some hill slopes.
Warm
Comfortable temperatures on the hills, 10 to 15C on tops, feeling pleasantly warm especially on lower ground. Beware of feeling cooler if exposed to wind on higher terrain.
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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Hazy, some fog banks
Distant views reduced by haze, locally foggy for a time in valleys and some hill slopes.
Warm
Comfortable temperatures on the hills, 10 to 15C on tops, feeling pleasantly warm especially on lower ground. Beware of feeling cooler if exposed to wind on higher terrain.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 17th July 2026
Last updated
Thu 16th Jul 26 at
4:24PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Dry conditions persist with high wildfire risk; some areas inaccessible due to fire hazards. Dawn sea fog over north/east Scotland and eastern Pennines largely clears, occasional patchy hill cloud drifts into north Scotland. Warm with sun and high cloud western areas, most hills cloud-free.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Active fire near Glen More; little cloud but hazy/smokey views
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly 10 to 20mph, strongest sustained wind eastern Cairngorms, gusts approaching 30mph over tops and downslope.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but feeling more blustery at times and noticeably cooler on high eastern terrain.
How Wet?
Rain unlikely
Odd pockets of drizzle over the high Cairngorms from time to time, a few spots on north slopes as well, totals very small and otherwise dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Covering northern hills for a time
Fairly extensive over northern Cairngorms early below 1100m, well broken south of the high tops; high terrain starts above the cloud. Through morning, cloud banks drift higher up northern slopes, perhaps shrouding tops for a time, but tending to thin as well to just patchy banks on high northern slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 60% north, 80% south (high Cairngorms perhaps above cloud)
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of sun and cloud. Smoke from fires in Cairngorms NP impacting visibility, though excellent where unaffected.
How Cold? (at 900m)
10 or 11C to starting, rising locally to 14C southern Cairngorms where sunniest. Less rise northern slopes, particularly near Glen Avon. Feeling like 5C in direct strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 18th July 2026
Last updated
Thu 16th Jul 26 at
4:24PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly 10-20mph, gusty over the Cairngorm plateau, may reach 30mph at times over eastern Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but walking becomes impeded in gusts to the east and feeling chilly.
How Wet?
Little expected
Patchy rain affects the Cairngorm plateau from time to time, some early drizzle on high terrain. Rainfall totals likely small, slopes south of high Cairngorms remain dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Lingering on high northern slopes
May be fairly extensive at dawn, to 500m northern Cairngorms into Strathspey area. Soon breaking and lifting, southern slopes clearing cloud soonest; varied banks over the high Cairngorms, bases to 1000-1100m northern slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of cloud and sun, more often cloudy on high northern slopes. A risk of poor visibility should fires in Cairngorm NP persist.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C rising to 10C northern Cairngorms, to 12C southern Cairngorms/Drumochter area. Feeling near freezing in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 19th July 2026
Last updated
Thu 16th Jul 26 at
4:24PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
North-northwesterly 5-15mph, strongest wind early in the east, sustained 20mph with stronger gusts.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but walking inconvenienced in early wind to the east.
How Wet?
No rain expected
Cloud on the hills?
Largely clear
At dawn, mist on some sheltered northern slopes, well broken, southern slopes largely clear. Mist soon dissipates for clear hills well into the day. Later, a rising chance of banks drifting over high Cairngorms.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sunshine, best on southern slopes. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C rising to 9 to 12C, mildest southern Cairngorms/Drumochter.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Settled summer weather continues through the weekend and next week as high pressure dominates. Extremely dry ground conditions persist with a high risk of wildfire. Temperatures will trend cooler, dropping below 10C on summits overnight in Scotland, but afternoon temperatures rising to warm or very warm; most persistently cooler in the far north where some cloud will be drawn onto high terrain and over tops at times with occasional light showery rain; high summits of the Scottish Highlands sometimes above a morning cloud inversion. Otherwise generally ongoing dry weather, with good amounts of sun and hill tops often clear of cloud. A change of weather pattern indicated late in the month brings scope for rain and thundery showers.